Tool storage bag

ABSTRACT

A tool storage bag includes a hexahedral fabric bag body and openable only at a top side or at the top side and a bottom side, and an interlining material at least provided at three adjoining sides of the bag body. The interlining material includes plural flat plates corresponding to the three sides. At least one of the flat plates is detachable from a corresponding one of the sides of the bag body, while the bag body is foldable without folding the sides provided with the interlining material. The bag body with at least one flat plate detached from the corresponding side is folded down by overlapping, on one of the unfoldable sides of the bag body, the side other than the above one side and provided with the interlining material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application claims the entire benefit of Japanese PatentApplication Number 2010465060 filed on Jul. 22, 2010, the entirety ofwhich is incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a tool storage bag including a bag bodyfor storing electric tools and an interlining material for preventingthe deformation of the bag body.

BACKGROUND ART

A design patent publication No. 1375208, for example, discloses a toolbag formed of a thick fabric and used for carrying therein a variety oftools. More recently, fabric bags have been widely used as tool storagebags because the fabric bags are lighter in weight and easier to handleas compared with plastic bags and synthetic resin bags.

The fabric tool storage bags are required to be foldable to reduce astorage space so that a large number of the bags can be transported whenelectric tools are not therein.

However, the conventional fabric tool storage bags have been unfoldablebecause the interlining material employed for preventing the bagdeformation interferes with folding the bags.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above problem, it is an object of the present inventionto provide a tool storage bag that is foldable despite the use of theinterlining material.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a toolstorage bag including a hexahedral fabric bag body which is and openableonly at a top side or at the top side and a bottom side and aninterlining material at least provided at three adjoining sides of thebag body. The interlining material comprises plural flat platescorresponding to the three sides and at least one of the flat plates aredetachable from a corresponding one of the sides of the bag body. Thebag body can be folded down without folding the sides provided with theinterlining material, and is folded by overlapping a side having theinterlining material on one of the unfoldable sides of the bag body in acondition where the at least one of the flat plate is detached from thebag body. The phrase “at least one of the flat plates are detached froma corresponding one of the sides of the bag body” means that at leastone flat plate is out of contact with the side of the bag body, or isdefined to include both a state where at least one flat plate is removedfrom the bag body and a state where at least one flat plate isaccommodated in the bag body as held out of contact with the side of thebag body.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a toolstorage bag of the first aspect wherein the bag body can be folded downby removing the at least one detached flat plate from the bag body andoverlapping the other side on one of the unfoldable sides.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a toolstorage bag of the first or second aspect wherein the three adjoiningsides are a back side, the top side and an inner bottom surface of thebag body or the back side, the top side and either one of innerright-side and left-side surfaces of the bag body, wherein the flatplate as the interlining material is incorporated in the back side andthe top side, respectively, wherein a inner body combining three flatplates including the one detachable flat plate is provided incorrespondence to the inner bottom surface and the inner right-side andleft-side surfaces, wherein the inner body is supported in the bag bodyin conformity to the inner bottom surface and the inner right-side andleft-side surfaces and is detachable from each of the inner bottomsurface and the inner right-side and left-side surfaces, and whereinremoving the inner body from the bag body allows the bag body to befolded down by overlapping the top side on the back side as theunfoldable side.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a toolstorage bag of the first aspect wherein the interlining material can befolded down in the bag body by overlapping the at least one detachedflat plate on one of the flat plates that is united with a correspondingunfoldable side, and the bag body with the interlining material foldedtherein can be folded down.

According to the first aspect of the invention, the tool storage bag canbe folded down by folding inside the bag body while simultaneouslyoverlapping the other side provided with the interlining material on theunfoldable side of the bag body.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the tool storage bagcan be folded down by taking out the at least one detached flat platefrom the bag body to thereby remove the flat plate (interliningmaterial) from the side other than the unfoldable side of the bag body,followed by overlapping, on the unfoldable side, the other sideincluding the interlining material.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the removal of the innerbody from the bag body to thereby remove the flat plates (interliningmaterial) from the lateral sides and bottom side of the bag body allowsthe top side of the bag body to be overlapped on the back side of thebag body while simultaneously folding inside the lateral sides andbottom side, the top side incorporating therein the flat plate. As aresult, the tool storage bag can be folded down.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the flat plate(interlining material) can be removed from the side other than theunfoldable side of the bag body when the at least one flat plate isoverlapped on the flat plate united with the unfoldable side of the bagbody. Consequently, the other sides, from the interlining material areremoved, can be folded, and then the tool storage bag can be foldeddown.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a general perspective view showing a tool storage bagaccording to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing a stiffener removable from theinside of the above tool storage bag.

FIG. 1C is a diagram showing how flat plates forming the above stiffenerare connected together as allowed to be folded on a respective edgethereof as a pivot axis.

FIG. 2A is a first explanatory diagram showing the tool storage bagbeing folded after the removal of the above stiffener from the inside ofthe bag body thereof.

FIG. 2B is a second explanatory diagram showing the above bag beingfolded down as seen diagonally from below.

FIG. 2C is a third explanatory diagram showing the folded tool storagebag.

FIG. 3A is a general perspective view showing a tool storage bagaccording to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3B is an explanatory diagram showing a bag body of the above toolstorage bag, which is being folded.

FIG. 3C is an explanatory diagram showing a stiffener of the above toolstorage bag, which is being folded.

FIG. 3D is a diagram showing the above tool storage bag folded down byfolding the above stiffener in the bag body.

FIG. 4A is a general perspective view showing a tool storage bagaccording to a third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram showing a bag body of the above toolstorage bag, which is being folded by pressing.

FIG. 4C is an explanatory diagram showing a stiffener of the above toolstorage bag, which is being folded.

FIG. 4D is a diagram showing the above tool storage bag folded down byfolding the stiffener in the above bag body.

FIG. 5A is a general perspective view showing a tool storage bagaccording to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5B is an explanatory diagram showing a bag body of the above toolstorage bag, which is being folded.

FIG. 5C is an explanatory diagram showing a stiffener of the above toolstorage bag, which is being folded.

FIG. 5D is a diagram showing the above tool storage bag folded down byfolding the above stiffener in the above bag body.

FIG. 6A is a general perspective view showing a tool storage bagaccording to a fifth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6B is an explanatory diagram showing a bag body of the above toolstorage bag, which is being folded.

FIG. 6C is an explanatory diagram showing a stiffener of the above toolstorage bag, which is being folded.

FIG. 6D is a diagram showing the above tool storage bag folded down byfolding the above stiffener in the above bag body.

FIG. 7A is a front view showing two tool storage bags adapted forportability by being stacked on top of each other.

FIG. 7B is a side view showing the two tool storage bags adapted forportability by being stacked on top of each other.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment

A first embodiment of the invention is described with reference to FIG.1A to FIG. 1C and FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C. A tool storage bag 1 shown in FIG.1A is designed to store therein electric tools such as an impact driverand is formed of a foldable fabric material. The tool storage bag 1includes a bag body 2 and a stiffener 3.

The bag body 2 is a hexahedral body having a substantially regulartetragonal bottom and formed by suitably sewing foldable fabric piecestogether. A top side 2A of the bag body 2 is sewn to an upper edge of aback side 2B so as to be supported by the back side 2B in a manner to berotatable about the upper edge in a vertical direction of the bag body2. That is, the top side can open or close a top side portion of the bagbody 2. An electric tool is accommodated in the bag body 2 through anupper opening H thereof. In the bag body 2 of this embodiment, aninterlining material is enclosed in the top side 2A, the back side 2Band a front side 2C, respectively. Thus, the individual sides 2A to 2Cincorporate therein the interlining material. In this embodiment, theinterlining material enclosed in the respective sides 2A to 2C is a flatplate formed of cardboard.

Indicated at 3 is the stiffener which is removably provided in the bagbody 2 in conformity to a left side 2D, a right side 2E and a bottomside 2F thereof so as to stiffen the bag body 2 and prevent thedeformation of the bag body 2. As shown in FIG. 1B, the stiffener 3includes three flat plates 3A to 3C combined into one body shaped likean inverted gate as seen from front. The stiffener is disposed in thebag body 2 in contact with an inner bottom surface B 1, an innerleft-side surface SI and an inner right-side surface S2 (all of whichare shown in FIG. 2A) of the bag body 2. Specifically, the flat plate 3Bstands upright on a left-side edge L1 of the flat plate 3A of thestiffener and is connected thereto in a manner to be rotatable towardthe flat plate 3A. On the other hand, the flat plate 3C stands uprighton a right-side edge L2 of the flat plate 3A and is connected thereto ina manner to be rotatable toward the flat plate 3A, as indicated by anarrow in the figure. According to this embodiment, the individual flatplates 3A to 3C are formed of cardboard. The stiffener 3 is an exampleof “a inner body combining three flat plates” according to theinvention.

Before the tool storage bag 1 is folded down, as shown in FIG. 1A, thestiffener 3 is disposed in the bag body 2 while the individual sides 3Ato 3C thereof are in conformity to and supported by the inner bottomsurface B1, the inner left-side surface Si and the inner right-sidesurface S2 of the bag body 2, respectively (see FIG. 2A). As a result,the back side 2B and its adjoining top side 2A and the front side 2C areeach provided with the interlining material and besides, the innerbottom surface B1 and its adjoining inner right-side and left-sidesurfaces S1, S2 are provided with the interlining material as thestiffener. It is noted that the sides 2A, 2B and B1, the sides 2A, 2Band S1 or the sides 2A, 2B and S2 are an example of “the three adjoiningsides” according to the invention.

The tool storage bag 1 according to the embodiment may be folded down asfollows. As shown in FIG. 1C, a user may take out the stiffener 3 fromthe bag body 2 through the opening H by pulling up the flat plates 3B,3C of the stiffener 3. In other words, the flat plates 3A to 3C can beremoved from the left side 2D, the right side 2E and the bottom side 2Fof the bag body 2, as shown in FIG. 2A. The flat plates 3A to 3C can beremoved by separating the flat plates 3A to 3C from their adjoining backside 2B incorporating the interlining material (flat plate), followed bytaking them out of the bag body 2. It should be noted that theinterlining material (flat plates) incorporated in the top side 2A, theback side 2B and the flat plate 3A, the interlining material (flatplates) incorporated in the above-described sides and the flat plate 3B,and the interlining material (flat plates) incorporated in theabove-described sides and the flat plate 3C are examples of “the pluralflat plates” according to the invention. Further, each of the flatplates 3A to 3C is an example of “the one flat plate” according to theinvention.

Subsequently, the top side 2A is rotated about the upper edge of theback side 2B and toward the back side 2B, as indicated by an arrow inthe figure, so as to be overlapped on an outer surface of the back side2B, as shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B. Then, folding is made on thevertical line of each left and right sides 2D, 2E toward the inside ofthe bag body 2, as indicated by an arrow in the figure, causes the frontside 2C sewn to the opposite lateral sides 2D, 2E to be drawn to theinside of the bag body 2, as shown in FIG. 2C. As shown in FIG. 2B, onthe other hand, the bottom side 2F is folded along plural creases andtoward the inside of the bag body as indicated by arrows in the figure.Accordingly, the front side 2C is overlapped on an inner surface of theback side 2B as pressing the lateral sides 2D, 2E and the bottom side 2Fagainst the inner surface of the back side 2B, while the lateral sides2D, 2E are valley folded to the inside and the bottom side 2F foldedinside. In this manner, the tool storage bag 1 according to theembodiment of the invention permits the bag body 2 to be folded into asubstantially flat configuration by overlapping the top side 2A and thefront side 2C on the back side 2B instead of folding the top side 2A,the back side 2B and the front side 2C.

When not accommodating the electric tools therein, the tool storage bag1 of this embodiment can be folded down, providing for the reduction ofstorage space. In the case of transportation, on the other hand, thetool storage bag 1 of this embodiment takes up less space thanunfoldable tool storage bags, so that the tool storage bag of thisembodiment can be transported in large number at a time. It should benoted that each of the top side 2A, the back side 2B and the front side2C is an example of “the unfoldable side” according to the invention.Further, the back side 2B is an example of “one of the unfoldable sides”according to the invention while the top side 2A is an example of “theother side provided with the interlining material” according to theinvention.

Effects of the First Embodiment

In the tool storage bag 1 according to the embodiment of the invention,as described above, the stiffener 3 is detached from the inner bottomsurface B1 and the inner lateral-side surfaces S1, S2 and taken out ofthe bag body 2. Then, the bag body 2 can be folded down by overlappingthe top side 2A and the front side 2C on the back side 2B from which itsadjoining flat plates 3A to 3C are separated. The top and front sidesincorporate therein the interlining material (flat plates), while theback side incorporates therein the interlining material (flat plate).After the removal of the flat plates 3A to 3C from the opposite lateralsides 2D, 2E and the bottom side 2F of the bag body 2, the individualsides 2A, 2C incorporating therein the interlining material (flatplates) can be overlapped on the back side 2B while folding theindividual sides 2D to 2F toward the inside of the bag body 2.Accordingly, the tool storage bag 1 can be folded down.

Second Embodiment

A second embodiment of the invention is described with reference to FIG.3. In this embodiment, a similar structure to that of the firstembodiment is described briefly. Like reference characters refer to thecorresponding components of the first embodiment and the descriptionthereof is dispensed with. A tool storage bag 1A includes a bag body 10and a stiffener 15. In the tool storage bag 1 of the first embodiment,the flat plates (interlining material) are provided in correspondence tothe sides 2A to 2F defining the six sides of the bag body 2. In the toolstorage bag 1A of this embodiment, on the other hand, flat plates (astiffener 15) are provided in correspondence to individual sides 10B,10D to 10F which define four sides of the bag body 10.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the bag body 10 is the same hexahedral body as thatof the first embodiment. As with the top side 2A of the firstembodiment, a top side 10A of the bag body 10 is rotatable in a verticaldirection of the bag body 10 so as to open or close a top side portionof the bag body 10.

The stiffener 15 is accommodated in the bag body 10 in conformity to theback side 10B, the left side 10D, the right side 10E and the bottom side10F of the bag body 10. As shown in FIG. 3C, the stiffener 15 includesfour flat plates 15A to 15D combined into one body and is formedindependently from the bag body 10. As shown in the figure, the flatplate 15A is connected to a lower edge L3 of the flat plate 15B in anupright position in a manner such that the flat plate 15A can be rotatedabout the edge L3 as a pivot axis and toward the flat plate 15B asindicated by an arrow in the figure. The flat plate 15C is connected toa left-side edge L11 of the flat plate 15B in a manner such that theflat plate 15C with a lower edge thereof separated from a left-side edgeL21 of the flat plate 15A can be rotated toward the flat plate 15B, asindicated by an arrow in the figure. Further, the flat plate 15D isconnected to a right-side edge L12 of the flat plate 15B in a mannersuch that the flat plate 15D with a lower edge thereof separated from aright-side edge L22 of the flat plate 15A can be rotated about the edgeL12 as a pivot axis and toward the flat plate 15B, as indicated by anarrow in the figure. The flat plate 15B is accommodated in the bag body10 and attached to an inner surface S21 of the back side 10B (see FIG.3B). Thus, the back side 10B is united with the flat plate 15B. The flatplates 15A to 15D are each formed of cardboard. It should be noted thatthe flat plates 15A to 15D are an example of “the plural flat plates”according to the invention.

In the bag body 10 before the tool storage bag 1A is folded down, theflat plate 15A rests on an inner bottom surface B2 of the bag body 10 inwhich the flat plate 15B is attached to substantially the overall areaof the above inner surface S21 (see FIG. 3B). In addition, the flatplate 15C abuts on the left-side edge L21 of the flat plate 15A at thelower edge thereof and stands upright as conforming to and supported bysubstantially the overall area of an inner left-side surface S11 (FIG.3B) of the bag body 10. Further, the flat plate 15D abuts on theright-side edge L22 of the flat plate 15A at the lower edge thereof andstands upright as conforming to and supported by substantially theoverall area of an inner right-side surface S12 (FIG. 3B) of the bagbody 10. It should be noted that the inner bottom surface B2, the innerleft-side surface S11 and the inner right-side surface S12 are examplesof “the surface of the bag body that is corresponded by at least oneflat plate” according to the invention.

The tool storage bag 1A may be folded down as follows. As shown in FIG.3C, the user may rotate, for example, the flat plate 15C in the bag body10 about the above-described left-side edge L11 and toward the flatplate 15B, as separating the flat plate 15C from the above-describedleft-side edge L21 of the bottom side. Thus, the flat plate 15C isoverlapped on the flat plate 15B. Subsequently, the user may rotate theflat plate 15D in the bag body 10 about the right-side edge L12 andtoward the flat plate 15B, as separating the flat plate 15D from theabove-described right-side edge L22 of the bottom side. Thereafter, theuser may rotate the flat plate 15A in the bag body 10 about theabove-described lower edge L3 and toward the flat plate 15B. Thus, thestiffener 15 is folded down in the bag body 10 by sequentiallyoverlapping the individual flat plates 15C, 15D, 15A on the flat plate15B. That is, the flat plates 15A, 15C, 15D are detached and removedfrom the bottom side 10F and the lateral sides 10D, 10E of the bag body10.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the user may further rotate the top side 10A asindicated by an arrow in the figure so as to overlap the top side 10A onan outer surface of the back side 10B. Subsequently, folding the lateralsides 10D, 10E along fold lines and toward the inside of the bag body 10causes the front side 10C sewn to the lateral sides 10D, 10E to be drawnto the inside of the bag body 10. Then, the bottom side 10F is foldedtoward the inside of the bag body 10. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3D,the front side 10C is overlapped on the inner surface S21 whilepressing, against the inner surface 21 of the back side 10B, the foldedstiffener 15 together with the lateral sides 10D, 10E and the bottomside 10F which are folded inside. In this manner, the tool storage bag1A allows the bag body 10 to be folded into a substantially flatconfiguration by overlapping the folded stiffener 15 and sides 10A, 10Cto 10F on the back side 10B instead of folding the back side 10B. Itshould be noted that the back side 10B is an example of “the unfoldableside of the bag body” according to the invention, while the flat plate15B is an example of “the flat plate corresponding to the unfoldableside” according to the invention. Further, the flat plates 15A, 15C, 15Dare examples of “the at least one detached flat plate” according to theinvention.

Effects of the Second Embodiment

In the tool storage bag 1A according to this embodiment, the stiffener15 can be folded down in the bag body 10 by sequentially overlapping theflat plates 15C, 15D, 15A on the flat plate 15B attached to the backside 10B, so that the bag body 10 can be folded down. When the flatplates 15C, 15D, 15A are overlapped on the flat plate 15B, the flatplates 15A, 15C, 15D forming the stiffener 15 can be removed from thebottom side 10F and the left and right sides 10D, 10E of the bag body10. Therefore, the sides 10D to 10F can be folded toward the inside ofthe bag body 10, so that the tool storage bag 1A can be folded down byoverlapping the sides 10A and 10C on the back side 10B instead offolding these sides 10A, 10C.

Third Embodiment

A third embodiment of the invention is described with reference to FIG.4. In this embodiment, a similar structure to that of the first andsecond embodiments is briefly described or the description thereof isdispensed with. Like reference characters refer to the correspondingcomponents of the second embodiment and the description thereof isdispensed with. A tool storage bag 1B includes a bag body 20 and thesiffener 15. The bag body 20 of the embodiment includes a left side 20D,a right side 20E, a back side 20B and a front side 20C connectedtogether by sewing. A top side 20A of the bag body 20 is fixed to anupper edge of the back side 20B via an upper hinge member 26 so as to berotatable about the upper edge thereof. A top side portion of the bagbody 20 can be opened by rotating the top side 20A toward the back side20B. A bottom side 20F of the bag body 20 is fixed to a lower edge ofthe back side 20B via a lower hinge member 27 so as to be rotatableabout the lower edge thereof. A bottom portion of the bag body 20 can beopened by rotating the bottom side 20F toward the back side 20B. Thisembodiment is configured such that the bottom portion of the bag body 20can be opened to take out the electric tool from the bag body 20 throughan opening of the above-described bottom portion.

The stiffener 15 is disposed in the bag body 20 in conformity to theback side 20B, the left side 20D, the right side 20E and the bottom side20F of the bag body 20. The flat plate 15B forming the stiffener 15 isdisposed in the bag body 20 and attached to an inner surface S31 (seeFIG. 4B) of the back side 20B so as to be united with the back side 20B.It should be noted that an inner left-side surface and an innerright-side surface of the bag body 20 and an inner surface of the bottomside 20F of the bag body 20 are examples of “the surface of the bag bodythat is corresponded by at least one flat plate” according to theinvention.

The tool storage bag 1B is folded down as follows. As with the secondembodiment, the user may fold down the stiffener 15 in the bag body 20by sequentially overlapping the flat plates 15C, 15D, 15A on the flatplate 15B. As a result, the flat plates 15A, 15C, 15D can be detachedand removed from the bottom side 20F and the lateral sides 20D, 20E ofthe bag body 20.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, the user may rotate the top side 20A ofthe bag body 20 outward about the hinge 26 so as to overlap the top sideon an outer surface of the back side 20B. Subsequently, the user mayrotate the bottom side 20F about the hinge 27 and toward the back side20B as indicated by an arrow in the figure, overlapping the bottom sideon the side 20A. Further, the user may press the left side 20D againstthe inner surface S31 and squash the tetrahedral configuration definedby the interconnected sides 20B to 20E while pressing the foldedstiffener 15 against the inner surface S31. In this manner, theindividual sides 20B to 20E connected together are brought into asubstantially flat configuration. As shown in FIG. 4D, the tool storagebag 1B is designed to permit the bag body 20 to be folded into thesubstantially flat configuration by overlapping the sides 20A and 20F,the folded stiffener 15 and the left side 20D on the back side 20B instead of folding the six sides 20A to 20F. It should be noted that theback side 20B of this embodiment is an example of “the unfoldable sideof the bag body” according to the invention. It is further noted thatthe hinge members 26, 27 are not depicted in FIG. 4D.

Effects of the Third Embodiment

As with the second embodiment, the tool storage bag 1B of thisembodiment is designed to allow the stiffener 15 to be folded down inthe bag body 20 and to allow the bag body 20 with the stiffener 15folded therein to be folded down. Hence, the flat plates 15A, 15C, 15Dforming the stiffener 15 can be removed from the bottom side 20F and thelateral sides 20D, 20E of the bag body 20, just as in the secondembodiment. Therefore, the sides 20B to 20E, connected with one another,can be arranged into the substantially flat configuration and the toolstorage bag 1B can be folded down by overlapping the sides 20A, 20D, 20Fon the back side 20B.

Fourth Embodiment

A fourth embodiment of the invention is described with reference to FIG.5. In this embodiment, a similar structure to that of the first to thirdembodiments is briefly described or the description thereof is dispensedwith. A tool storage bag 1C includes a bag body 30 and a stiffener 35.As with the first to third embodiments, the bag body 30 is a hexahedralbody, while the bag body 30 has a smaller height than the bag bodies 2,10, 20 of the first to third embodiments. As with the first and secondembodiments, a top side 30A of the bag body 30 is adapted to open orclose a top side portion of the bag body 30.

As shown in FIG. 5C, the stiffener 35 includes four flat plates 35A to35D formed in one piece and is independent from the bag body 30. Thestiffener 35 is disposed in the bag body 30 in conformity to a back side30B, a left side 30D, a right side 30E and a bottom side 30F thereof.The flat plates 35A forming the stiffener 35 is attached to an innerbottom surface B3 (see FIG. 5A) of the bag body 30 so as to be unitedwith the inner bottom surface B3.

The flat plate 35B stands upright on a back-side edge L4 of the flatplate 35A and is connected to the flat plate 35A in a manner to berotatable about the back-side edge L4 and toward the flat plate 35A asindicated by an arrow in the figure. The flat plate 35C is connected toa left-side edge L31 of the flat plate 35B. However, the flat plate 35Ccan be rotated toward the flat plate 35B as indicated by an arrow in thefigure because a lower edge of the flat plate 35C is separated from aleft-side edge L41 of the flat plate 35A. Similarly, the flat plate 35Dis connected to a right-side edge L32 of the flat plate 35B. However,the flat plate 35D can be rotated toward the flat plate 35B as indicatedby an arrow in the figure because a lower edge of the flat plate 35D isseparated from a right-side edge L42 of the flat plate 35A. It should benoted that the flat plates 35A to 35D are an example of “the plural flatplates” according to the invention.

Before the tool storage bag 1C is folded down, as shown in FIG. 5B, theflat plate 35B stands upright in the bag body 30 as supported bysubstantially the overall area of an inner surface S41 of the back side30B while the flat plate 35A is attached to substantially the overallarea of the inner bottom surface B3. Further in the bag body 30, theflat plate 35C abuts on the left-side edge L41 of the flat plate 35A ata lower edge thereof and stands upright as supported by substantiallythe overall area of an inner left-side surface S51 of the bag body 30.Further, the flat plate 35D abuts on the right-side edge L42 of the flatplate 35A at a lower edge thereof and stands upright as supported bysubstantially the overall area of an inner right-side surface S52 of thebag body 30. It should be noted that the inner surface S41, the innerleft-side surface S51 and the inner right-side surface S52 are examplesof “the surface of the bag body that is corresponded by at least oneflat plate” according to the invention.

The tool storage bag 1C may be folded down as described below. First,the user may overlap the flat plate 35C on the flat plate 35B in the bagbody 30 in the same way as in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5C.Subsequently, the flat plate 35D is rotated toward the flat plate 35B inthe bag body 30 in the same way as in the second embodiment. In the bagbody 30, the flat plate 35B is rotated about the back-side edge L4 andtoward the flat plate 35A. In this manner, the stiffener 35 is foldeddown in the bag body 30 by sequentially overlapping the flat plates 35D,35C, 35B on the flat plate 35A. As a result, the flat plates 35B to 35Dcan be detached from the back side 30B and the lateral sides 30D, 30E ofthe bag body 30.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5B, the lateral sides 30D, 30E are foldedinward by folding the lateral sides along valley fold lines and towardthe inside of the bag body 30 as indicated by arrows in the figure.Consequently, as shown in FIG. 5D, the front side 30C and the back side30B, which are sewn to the lateral sides 30D and 30E, are drawn to theinside of the bag body 30 without being folded and to be overlapped onthe lateral sides 30D, 30E folded down as described above. At this time,the top side 30A is rotated away from a top opening of the bag body 30so that the top side 30A is partially overlapped, without being folded,on the back side 30B folded inside. As described above, the tool storagebag 1C is designed to permit the bag body 30 to be folded into thesubstantially flat configuration by overlapping, on the bottom side 30F,the folded stiffener 35, the lateral sides 30D, 30E and the sides 30A to30C folded inside as described above, in stead of folding the individualsides 30A to 30C and 30F. It should be noted that the bottom side 30F isan example of “the unfoldable side of the bag body” according to theinvention, while the flat plate 35A is an example of “the flat platecorresponding to the above unfoldable side” according to the invention.Further, the flat plates 35B to 35D are examples of “the at least onedetached flat plate” according to the invention.

Effects of the Fourth Embodiment

According to the tool storage bag 1C of this embodiment, the stiffener35 can be folded down by sequentially overlapping the flat plates 35D,35C, 35B on the flat plate 35A attached to the inner bottom surface B3,thus allowing the bag body 30 to be folded down. When the stiffener 35is folded down by overlapping the flat plates 35D, 35C, 35B on the flatplate 35A the flat plates 35B to 35D can be removed from the back side30B and the lateral sides 30D, 30E of the bag body 30. Therefore, thelateral sides 30D, 30E can be folded toward the inside of the bag body30. Hence, the tool storage bag 1C can be folded down by overlapping theindividual sides 30A to 30C on the bottom side 30F in stead of foldingthese sides.

Fifth Embodiment

A fifth embodiment of the invention is described with reference to FIG.6. In this embodiment, a similar structure to that of the first tofourth embodiments is briefly described or the description thereof isdispensed with. Like reference characters refer to the correspondingcomponents of the second and third embodiments and the descriptionthereof is dispensed with. A tool storage bag 1D includes a bag body 40and the stiffener 15. As with the first, second and fourth embodiments,a top side 40A of the bag body 40 is adapted to open or close a top sideportion of the bag body 40.

The stiffener 15 is disposed in the bag body 40 in conformity to a backside 40B, a left side 40D, a right side 40E and a bottom side 40Fthereof. The back side 40B and the flat plate 15B are united in the sameway as in the second and third embodiments.

In the bag body 40 before the tool storage bag 1D is folded down, theflat plate 15A rests on an inner bottom surface B4 of the bag body 40 inwhich the flat plate 15B is attached to an inner surface S61 of the backside 40B, as shown in FIG. 6B. In addition, as with the secondembodiment, the flat plate 15C stands upright in the bag body 40 asconforming to and supported by an inner left-side edge S71 of the bagbody 40. Further, the flat plate 15D stands upright as conforming to andsupported by an inner right-side surface S72 of the bag body 40. Itshould be noted that the inner bottom surface B4, the inner left-sidesurface S71 and the inner right-side surface S72 are examples of “thesurface of the bag body that is corresponded by at least one flat plate”according to the invention.

The tool storage bag 1D may be folded down as described below. When thestiffener 15 is folded down in the bag body 40 just as in the secondembodiment, the flat plates 15A, 15C, 15D forming the stiffener 15 canbe detached from the bottom side 40F and the lateral sides 40D, 40E ofthe bag body 40.

Further, the user may rotate the top side 40A about a lower edge thereofand toward the back side 40B as indicated by an arrow in the figure, soas to overlap the top side 40A on an outer surface of the back side 40B,as shown in FIG. 6B. Subsequently, the user may fold the lateral sides40D, 40E along fold lines toward the inside of the bag body 40 whileclosing the bag body 40 in a fore-aft direction thereof (the transversedirection as seen in FIG. 6B) as indicated by arrows in the figure. As aresult, the front side 40C sewn to the lateral sides 40D, 40E are bedrawn toward the inside of the bag body 40. Then, the front side 40C isfolded in a fold line toward the inside of the bag body 40. Namely, thefront side is folded up in a vertical direction of the bag body 40 (thevertical direction as seen in FIG. 6B) as indicated by an arrow in thefigure. As a result, the bottom side 40F sewn to the front side 40C israised without being folded. Then the user may press the folded frontside 40C against the inner surface S61 of the back side 40B to therebyoverlap the front side on the inner surface S61 together with the bottomside 40F. As shown in FIG. 6D, the tool storage bag 1D is designed toallow the bag body 40 to be folded into the substantially flatconfiguration by overlapping, on the back side 40B, the top side 40A,the folded stiffener 15, the sides 40C to 40E folded inside and thebottom side 40F in stead of folding the three sides 40A, 40B and 40F. Itshould be noted that the back side 40B of this embodiment is an exampleof “the unfoldable side of the bag body” according to the invention.

Effects of the Fifth Embodiment

As with the second embodiment, the tool storage bag 1D of thisembodiment is designed to allow the stiffener 15 to be folded down inthe bag body 40 and to allow the bag body 40 with the stiffener 15folded therein to be folded down. Therefore, the flat plates 15A, 15C,15D can be removed from the bottom side 40F and the lateral sides 40D,40E of the bag body 40, just as in the second embodiment. As a result,the lateral sides 40D, 40E can be folded toward the inside of the bagbody 40. Thus, the tool storage bag 1D can be folded down by foldinginside the front side 40C free from the stiffener 15, followed byoverlapping the top side 40A and the bottom side 40F on the back side40B.

When carrying the electric tools in the tool storage bag or the like,the user has a desire to be able to carry multiple tool storage bags ata time. FIG. 7 illustrates an example where two tool storage bags 50A,50B are stacked on top of each other to be carried together. The toolstorage bag 50 is a soft case bag, the entire surface skin of which isformed of an enamel material. The tool storage bag 50 has excellentwater-proof and oil-proof properties as a result of the use of theenamel material. A slide fastener F is attached to an upper end of acase body 51 of the tool storage bag 50, extending along three sides(except for a back side) of the bag body 51. Thus, a top side of thecase body 51 defines a case cover 52 for openably closing the case body.

A left side 53 and a right side 54 of the case body 51 each has areinforcing belt 56 sewn thereon. The reinforcing belt 56 is extended ina vertical direction of the bag body and is so located as to divide eachof the lateral sides 53, 54 into right and left halves. A metal ring 57is fastened to an upper end of the reinforcing belt 56, while a beltloop member 58 formed of the enamel material is fastened to a lower endof the reinforcing belt 56.

In a state where the tool storage bag 50B is stacked on the tool storagebag 50A as shown in FIG. 7, one end of a shoulder belt 60A for the toolstorage bag 50A is inserted through the metal ring 57 and the belt loopmember 58 on the left side 53 of the tool storage bag 50B. Subsequently,a metal hook 61A at the one end of the shoulder belt 60A is coupled to ametal ring 57 on the left side 53 of the tool storage bag 50A.

A metal hook (not shown) at the other end of the shoulder belt 60A iscoupled to a metal hook (not shown) at one end of a shoulder belt 60Bfor the tool storage bag 50B. Couplings of these metal hooks arereceived in a shoulder pad 62A of the shoulder belt 60A and a shoulderpad 62B of the shoulder belt 60B, respectively.

The other end of the shoulder belt 60B is inserted through a metal ring57 and a belt loop member 58 on the right side 54 of the tool storagebag 50B. Subsequently, a metal hook 61B at the other end of the shoulderbelt 60B is coupled to a metal ring 57 on the right side 54 of the toolstorage bag 50A. As described above, the user can carry the stacked toolstorage bags 50A, 50B on his shoulder, using the shoulder belts 60A, 60Bwith the shoulder pads 62A, 62B placed on his shoulder.

The present invention should not be limited to the foregoing embodimentsand can be reduced to practice with any partial change or modificationmade thereto as needed so long as such change or modification does notdepart from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, thearrangement of the above-described second and fourth embodiments may bechanged as follows. The stiffener 15 is configured to be received in thebag body 10, 30 in conformity to the front side, the lateral sides andthe bottom side thereof, before the tool storage bag 1A, 1C is foldeddown. Namely, _(t)he flat plates forming the stiffener 15 stand uprightin conformity to the four sides (front side, lateral sides and bottomside) of the bag body 10, 30.

The above-described first to fifth embodiments have the arrangementwherein each of the flat plates stands upright in conformity tosubstantially the overall area of one side of the bag body before thetool storage bag is folded down. However, the invention is not limitedto this. In an alternative arrangement, each of the flat plates maystand upright in conformity to a part of one side of the bag body solong as the flat plate can prevent the deformation of the bag body.Further, the second, third and fifth embodiments are arranged such thatthe flat plate is attached to the inner surface of the back side of thebag body. Alternatively, the flat plate may be sewn to the inner surfaceof the back side.

According to the foregoing second to fourth embodiments, the flat platesstand upright in conformity to the four sides of the bag body before thetool storage bag is folded down. However, the invention is not limitedto this. In the second embodiment, for example, the bag body 10 may beprovided with the flat plates on five sides thereof by enclosing anadditional flat plate in the front side 10C thereof. Furthermore, thebag body 10 may be provided with the flat plates on six sides thereof byenclosing a further additional flat plate in the top side 10A thereof.In the third and fourth embodiments, as well, each of the bag bodies 20,30 may also be provided with the flat plates on five or six sidesthereof in the same way as described in this paragraph.

Furthermore, the foregoing second to fifth embodiments are designed toallow the respective stiffeners to be folded down in the respective bagbodies. As with the first embodiment, the second to fifth embodimentsmay also be arranged such that the stiffener can be taken out of the bagbody. Further, the above-described first embodiment may be changed suchthat the front side 2C does not incorporate the flat plate but the topside 2A and the back side 2B incorporate therein the flat plate,respectively, and that the inner bottom surface B 1 alone or only one ofthe inner left-side and right-side surfaces S1, S2 is provided with aflat plate detachable from the surface B1, S1, S2. In this arrangement,this detachable flat plate may be taken out of the bag body 2.Furthermore, the second to fifth embodiments may also be changed suchthat a stiffener unifying three flat plates is folded down in the bagbody. In this case, for example, an arrangement may be made such thatone of the flat plates is united with the back side of the bag bodywhile the other flat plates are provided in conformity to one of thelateral sides of the bag body and the bottom side thereof, respectively,and that the flat plates other than that united with the back side aredetached from the one lateral side and the bottom side and then areoverlapped on the flat plate united with the back side.

The location of the belt loop member 58 used when the tool storage bags50A, 50B are stacked on top of each other is not limited to that shownin FIG. 7. The belt loop member may be attached to the reinforcing belt56 at any suitable place in a vertical direction thereof.

It is explicitly stated that all features disclosed in the descriptionand/or the claims are intended to be disclosed separately andindependently from each other for the purpose of original disclosure aswell as for the purpose of restricting the claimed invention independentof the composition of the features in the embodiments and/or the claims.It is explicitly stated that all value ranges or indications of groupsof entities disclose every possible intermediate value or intermediateentity for the purpose of original disclosure as well as for the purposeof restricting the claimed invention, in particular as limits of valueranges.

1. A tool storage bag comprising: a hexahedral fabric bag body andopenable only at a top side or at the top side and a bottom side; and aninterlining material at least provided at three adjoining sides of thebag body, wherein the interlining material comprises a plurality of flatplates corresponding to the three sides and at least one of the flatplates is detachable from a corresponding one of the sides of the bagbody, wherein the bag body can be folded down without folding the sidesprovided with the interlining material, and wherein the bag body withthe detachable flat plate detached from the corresponding side is foldeddown by overlapping, on one of the unfoldable sides of the bag body, theother side provided with the interlining material.
 2. The tool storagebag according to claim 1, wherein the bag body can be folded down byremoving the at least one detached flat plate from the bag body andoverlapping the other side on one of the unfoldable sides.
 3. The toolstorage bag according to claim 1, wherein the three adjoining sides area back side, the top side and an inner bottom surface of the bag body orthe back side, the top side and either one of inner right-side andleft-side surfaces of the bag body, wherein the flat plate isincorporated in the back side and the top side, respectively, wherein ainner body combining three flat plates including the one detachable flatplate is provided in correspondence to the inner bottom surface and theinner right-side and left-side surfaces, wherein the inner body issupported in the bag body in conformity to the inner bottom surface andthe inner right-side and left-side surfaces and is detachable from eachof the inner bottom surface and the inner right-side and left-sidesurfaces, and wherein removing the inner body from the bag body allowsthe bag body to be folded down by overlapping the top side on the backside as the unfoldable side.
 4. The tool storage bag according to claim2, wherein the three adjoining sides are a back side, the top side andan inner bottom surface of the bag body or the back side, the top sideand either one of inner right-side and left-side surfaces of the bagbody, wherein the flat plate is incorporated in the back side and thetop side, respectively, wherein a inner body combining three flat platesincluding the one detachable flat plate is provided in correspondence tothe inner bottom surface and the inner right-side and left-sidesurfaces, wherein the inner body is supported in the bag body inconformity to the inner bottom surface and the inner right-side andleft-side surfaces and is detachable from each of the inner bottomsurface and the inner right-side and left-side surfaces, and whereinremoving the inner body from the bag body allows the bag body to befolded down by overlapping the top side on the back side as theunfoldable side.
 5. The tool storage bag according to claim 1, whereinthe interlining material can be folded down in the bag body byoverlapping the at least one detached flat plate on one of the flatplates that is united with a corresponding unfoldable side, and the bagbody with the interlining material folded therein can be folded down. 6.The tool storage bag according to claim 1, wherein the inner body can besupported in the bag body while the three flat plates thereof are inconformity to substantially the overall area of the inner bottom surfaceand substantially the overall areas of the inner right-side andleft-side surfaces of the bag body.
 7. The tool storage bag according toclaim 2, wherein the inner body can be supported in the bag body whilethe three flat plates thereof are in conformity to substantially theoverall area of the inner bottom surface and substantially the overallareas of the inner right-side and left-side surfaces of the bag body. 8.The tool storage bag according to claim 1, wherein the three flat platescomprise: a first flat plate detachably resting on the inner bottomsurface; a second flat plate that stands upright on a left-side edge ofthe first flat plate as connected thereto in a manner to be rotatabletoward the first flat plate and that is detachably supported by theinner left-side surface; and a third flat plate that stands upright on aright-side edge of the first flat plate as connected thereto in a mannerto be rotatable toward the first flat plate and that is detachablysupported by the inner right-side surface.
 9. The tool storage bagaccording to claim 2, wherein the three flat plates comprise: a firstflat plate detachably resting on the inner bottom surface; a second flatplate that stands upright on a left-side edge of the first flat plate asconnected thereto in a manner to be rotatable toward the first flatplate and that is detachably supported by the inner left-side surface;and a third flat plate that stands upright on a right-side edge of thefirst flat plate as connected thereto in a manner to be rotatable towardthe first flat plate and that is detachably supported by the innerright-side surface.
 10. The tool storage bag according to claim 4,wherein the plurality of flat plates comprise: a first flat platestanding upright as united with an inner surface of a back side of thebag body as the unfoldable side; a second flat plate detachably restingon an inner bottom surface of the bag body as connected to a lower edgeof the first flat plate in a manner to be rotatable toward the firstflat plate; a third flat plate detachably supported by an innerleft-side surface of the bag body as connected to a left-side edge ofthe first flat plate in a manner to be rotatable toward the first flatplate; and a fourth flat plate detachably supported by an innerright-side surface of the bag body as connected to a right-side edge ofthe first flat plate in a manner to be rotatable toward the first flatplate, and wherein the second to fourth flat plates can be overlapped onthe first flat plate in the bag body by respectively rotating the secondto fourth flat plates about the lower edge, the left-side edge and theright-side edge and toward the first flat plate.
 11. The tool storagebag according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of flat plates comprise:a first flat plate united with an inner bottom surface of the bag bodyas the unfoldable side; a second flat plate that stands upright asconnected to a rear-side edge of the first flat plate in a manner to berotatable toward the first flat plate and that is detachably supportedby an inner surface of a back side of the bag body; a third flat platedetachably supported by an inner left-side surface of the bag body asconnected to a left-side edge of the second flat plate in a manner to berotatable toward the second flat plate; and a fourth flat platedetachably supported by a inner right-side surface of the bag body asconnected to a right-side edge of the second flat plate in a manner tobe rotatable toward the second flat plate, and wherein the second tofourth flat plates can be overlapped on the first flat plate in the bagbody by rotating the third and fourth flat plates about the left-sideedge and the right-side edge and toward the second flat plate andoverlapping the third and fourth flat plates on the second flat plate,followed by rotating the second flat plate together with the third andfourth bodies about the back-side edge and toward the first flat plate.12. The tool storage bag according to claim 1, wherein the flat plate isformed of cardboard.
 13. The tool storage bag according to claim 2,wherein the flat plate is formed of cardboard.